Passage of Time
by S. Flame Eve
Summary: Truth is unraveled by the threads of time. Incomplete notions of existence prompt others to follow narrow or wide paths, leading to life or death itself. Rebirth is a token of gratitude. Confrontations are but chapters within the passage of time. Stories are told among willing determination to tell a tale of great pain and survival.
1. Chapter 1: Cerise Iniquity

**1\. Cerise Iniquity**

 _Fire. Blazing, burning, scorching._ Fire.

That's all his light brown eyes could remember. Waste had been eminent from the very cause of the inferno as it split houses open and tore families apart. Nothing would ever erase this memory of complete and utter loss.

He had been there, all those years ago when Cinnabar Island had been tormented by the active volcano that their tiny village so precariously lived off of. The taste of ash and soot bathed over his tongue; his mouth open, thirsting for clean and crisp air as he found himself at a standstill. His young, bright and innocent eyes could not believe what had happened around him.

One minute he was playing tag with his siblings and the next he had been running for his life. His frantic, small heart could not bear the weight of it all. It was so much that a child so young could take. His hand grabbed at his shirt as he tried hard not to breathe in the dark clouds of smoke, brushing down in the pathway out of the village. His gaze blurred from the thick haze settling over his once beloved home. He wheezed, feeling the padding of smaller feet behind him. He glanced over his shoulders as tears blinked at the corner of his eyes.

There. The remainder of his family had followed after him. His three sister and little brother that he promptly called: eenie, meenie miny and moe. The boy knew how to keep track of his large family. He used simple words to make sure every one of his siblings had been accounted for. Even as his eyes cracked red from the inhalation he still wanted to be the protector and shield, as he promised his Ma and Pa.

Speaking of his parents, where were they?

He scarcely remembered his father instructing him to take his little brother by hand and lead his sisters away from the worst of it. His brave mother standing by her husband as the black clouds blew over their house. The rest was history.

The boy couldn't really see further behind him as the mounds of gray gathered to form some sort of smoke monster and swallowed anyone left behind. The trudging feet of the survivors carried on. The man guiding them had been a friend of his mother and father, and he was among the first to notify the village of the oncoming volcanic activity. The man was shouting up front to "keep up" and "stay in a single file" but the lad had been familiar with similar drills. What he was most worried about was getting off the island with every able person from his family present.

Nothing mattered most then for his family to be as one again. He knew this yet why couldn't he have the courage to back out from the evacuation and search for them? That's right, he had to look after his siblings. He was the older brother, the one who protected those who could yet protect themselves. He made a promise to his Ma and Pa, and wouldn't let them down out of a selfish act. He forced down the feeling of trepidation and forced himself to continue as the beacon of hope. He knew many pairs of eyes burned on his back. He'd make sure to get them all safe and sound and away from this hellish outcome.

The boy would await the approval faces of his parents when he managed to keep all of them together. It was his inner comfort in all of this desolation. They were survivors, ever last one of them.

. . .

"I'm so sorry." The same man crouched before the boy who managed to board a ship, leaving the burning island of Cinnabar. He had been the one who make sure that all island villagers would be safe in the waters as their home burned up in flames.

He saw it all, and he could do nothing to prevent it.

The lad's shoulders shook. So much emotion welled up within he felt like he was ready to erupt the same way the volcano had. Embers flecked out at sea and his youngest sibling, his only brother, stuck out his tiny hand to try and grab hold of it.

"Cole, no!" A strong pair of hands snatched his brother away from possible burns. The little babe had been crying, unsure of what bad thing he did. His older brother knew he didn't do anything bad. He was just scared stiff from the horrors that came from natural disasters, taking away their parents for good. His three sisters crowded around their two, only brothers. Sorrow reflected back in their steely gazes. Each and every one had tears streaming down their faces and quiet sniffled from where they cried their hardest at.

The boy had been resilient, stoic stone of protection up to this point. Now he was a sniveling heap of shaking skin and a sobbing face. For the love of Arceus, he was only five. So much to go on in his small mind. It would be a hard intake to endure for the years to come. Helping to raise his family would be a hardship in itself. A blessing was right around the corner as said man would lead them to a better place, far away from what they had to endure.

Tears burned at the corners of his eyes but he would not let them see. The man's wrinkled deepened into hollow crevices until he stood up to assist the other people on board. He would be considered a savior, a hero. A man who was a beacon of hope and lead the wandering and weak to a better place.

It felt like _hell_ for the red brunette.

The boy couldn't understand why this had to have happened to him and his family. They did nothing out of the ordinary, nor did they deserve any of this. Then again, Arceus fated them to such things and they only had to endure it. The ones who survived the ordeals that is. The pain would make them strong, if only for the rest of their lives.

The tang of blood fresh on his tongue as he bit into it. He could hear the distant shouting of his eldest sister, shaking his shoulder for him to stop hurting himself. Perhaps she seen bits of his of specks bubbling up on his bottom lip. He really didn't care if anything happened to him, so long as his siblings were taken care of.

He rose his tear-stained cheeks up to the dark sky as he wanted to further shy away from danger itself. Splotches of rain covered the rest of the boat of sorrow and despair. With his remainder family with him, the boy would do everything in his power to see them living without a care in the world once more.

Their big brother would make sure of it.

* * *

 **A/N:** And thus begins the tale of new beginnings. It started from one small piece of a story arc and goes over yonder. I'm sure a few people reading this are familiar with the Red Devil story arc. ;) Kind of like a mid-quel because there's one other short story to tell but that will be more of a dream sequence than anything.

I shall give more detail with him as other charas and give credit where it should go! This is considered the pilot chapter of a grand adventure stoking more awesome tales from The Gaia Region charries! This lovely character belongs to yours truly~.


	2. Chapter 2: Epoched Periphery

**2\. Epoched Periphery**

"You're going to help me with this predicament of mine or else everybody that you hold dear will _die_."

Crystal blue eyes glowered at the figure; his heated gaze reflected with contempt back at the female Gijinka crouched right next to a tomb stone. He wanted to laugh at the pathetic scene of wistful remembrance of better times for her.

Her heterochromia eyes flickered in the dying colors of the sun. They were hollow and without much care; indifferent of the mystical being floating a few meters away from her. "And if I refuse?" She still had some sort of fire burning within her. He chuckled lowly sparking a perplexed look in her bi-colored features.

He hated every, single thing about this one. It was because of her, actually living, that his own tranquil life with a significant other will never come to pass. Well, not in this timeline anyways.

He watched as the Lucario Gijinka crossed her arms, standing a little taller despite her being only an average height of 5'4". Tch. What a runt...He wasn't one to talk.

"Who are you?" She began in a monotonous tone of voice. "What do you want?"

The male laughed heartily. Mirth dancing in his baby-blue eyes. The black rings around them crinkled up in delight.

"You heard me the first time of what I came here for." He bent his frame a little as he planted his feet on the ground. In an instant, flower blossomed in a circle around his feet. "I hate to repeat myself again. I mean, I've done so for the last 100 timelines or so. It's getting pretty old and _fast_." He withheld anymore rage as it threatened to bubble over and overtake his cheery, peppy mood.

Yes, the time traveler had been through this loop many times over and others. It was the same old story of her moping about, losing someone closest to her -often times her lover- and then meeting him, Celebi, yet again. She would stand her ground demanding answers to her questions without so much as a sniff for his own purpose here. How rude.

A halo of light appeared around his form, giving him the depiction of an angel descending from the heavens above. Oh, but Celebi was anything but holy and pure.

"Hm? What sort of mess you brought yourself into?" The Lucario asked coolly. She didn't feel threatened by him at all. She should be. He had enough power within him to force the dual type into submission, bring her in and out of her existing timeline without batting an eye. He would get in trouble for it sure, but that didn't stop him from going along with his desires.

Celebi crossed his arms over his chest as he took steps closer to her. Each step bloomed a new ring of flower, more beautiful than the last. "Not what mess that I brought to myself, but what sort of mess that you brought to me, _Miriam_." He grinned when she saw the display of confusion crease over her once neutral features.

"...How?"

He rose up a delicate hand, stopping her right then and there. "I know many things about you, Miriam Young, daughter of the brilliant yet mad scientist Mr. Faun Young. One of two children from Rachel Thistlethorn who also had a son whom I will not name. I'm sure this is enough information as it is, yes?" The time traveler watched her many times before, in different yet similar situations as she registered about her private life, especially the name of her mother. It had always been a touchy subject that he later found out.

The steel-fighting type once again steeled herself over, not wanting to give anymore gratification to the mystical Gijinka. She still didn't trust a single fiber in this male's being as he sauntered closer to her."Alright, so you know something about me." Her tongue swiped over her chapped lips as the wind started to pick up over the cliffside. "What makes you think I'll change my thoughts on you? You can't expect for a strange like yourself to think I willingly help you in whatever fiasco you have for me to do."

Celebi hummed, tapping his chin thoughtfully as his translucent wings carried him the rest of the way; closing of the meter of distance between the two Gijinkas. His small hands grabbed her wrists as she stiffened before yanking her arms back.

Such futile efforts against a mystical being. His laughter sounded of bells ringing in the gentle breeze. The melody carried all the heartache and trepidation of what he had gone through, many times to get here again.

" _Oh, believe me when I say that I've been through this rerun hundreds if not thousands of times. Your petty acts of bravery fall on deaf ears every time. It's best you keep that pretty mouth shut before I rip it off with my bare hands."_ His voice came out low, twisted with silent meaning in its own right. Sky-colored eyes sparkled with amusement as the glorious horizon colors of orange, red-violet and pink melted away along with everything else.

Muffled sounds from his now time-traveling partner reached his perked ears as they both fell down the spiraling stars of soft and hard tendrils of light. This time around there would be lesser mistakes. He'd make the Lucario comply to his demands, right after sending her yet again into a horrific state of shock and panic. This day only marked down either as a failure or succession but only _time_ would tell.

* * *

 **A/N:** Part one of a very long journey down the timelines. This shall be a continuous occurrence but in different perspectives. First perspective is a given, second one will be too. Cele/Cel is played by Lettuce Fucktruck. Miriam is my lovely charrie. Also, the rating may change to M for language, implied adult content, (but not really), and gore flashbacks and scenes. I couldn't fit this all in the description so here it is now.

Also, pardon for the space between updates. After this I'll be sure to have two more ready to upload. The next chapter shall be fun to write!


	3. Chapter 3: Acquit Exertion

**3\. Acquit Exertion**

She felt her soul tear through time and space as she was dragged from her place in the world. Her ears burned with tears as the exposition of the time traveling left her breathless, anxiety eating away of what's left of her unperturbed reaction from before.

Her screams and struggles melted away as the tendrils of light forced both beings deeper into the unraveling passages of time. Memories of things that happened and have yet to happen flashed before her as well. It was all so much to take it at once that Miriam found her eyes shut away from it all.

Darkness swallowed up the rest of her frantic mind until her feet felt the hot, sticky sensation of something that clogged the ground beneath.

Miriam's gaze followed to her trembling hands as she was finally released from the hold of the mystical Gijinka. A cry of horror came out of her gaped mouth as her fingers grasped the edges of her jawline. Blood. So much of it bathed her ankles and the tang of iron her nostrils with onslaught.

"See?" Celebi gestured with a flick of his wrist. "This is what will happen in your time if you don't help me. Oh, and don't think this is any of my doing, on the contrary," he chuckled bitterly," this is the work of a A-class assassin, like you."

The Lucario shook, swallowing the bile rising her throat. "M-me?" She croaked which earned a curt nod from the psychic-grass type. A shudder passed down her already shaken body.

The Celebi seen similar reactions before and this one was no different. Miriam could find no empathy from his bored gaze as the bodies of her loved ones were dead on the ground. Their blood mixed churned and creeped along the bottom of her boots. She took a step back only to slip and fall right into the mess she caused. Her wails were heard of deaf ears as the Time-Traveler did not seek to comfort the agonizing dual type.

By the look in his eyes, he's seen so many cases of where her lover was alive before snatched, either by murder, killed by some freak accident or died by an unknown illness. One-hundred years has passed in the timelines she was end and not much tragedy befallen her life besides the fact of her best friend and beloved dying of old age. Something that came naturally to humans but because of her deacons with Life and Death themselves, earned her the right of a few extra years. Give or take.

Miriam couldn't comfort herself around him. He would be no help to her as she thought of perhaps peeling her skin off to rid herself of the blood. The fear never leaving her mix-matched eyes. Her hands wrapped around her arms, spreading more of the red across them. She whimpered, feeling as if balling up in a fetal position would do her some good.

"Oh," The grass type finally spoke up," don't think this is over." Her tear-stained eyes were wide and unfocused. She sniffled, tongue numb in her mouth as she couldn't find words to speak from.

This was all a bad dream, she told herself. Surely no such thing would come from her and cause such death to her sister, brothers or anyone else close to her, surely?! There was soft chuckles to be heard, as if the mystical Gijinka floating before her (wings rapidly keeping him afloat) as though he could read her very thoughts. "Funny, seeing you like this makes me want to toss you around the other timelines and blackmail you more in what I want. However, i believe this is enough to make you move, eh?" Miriam stiffened when she felt his piercing gaze back over her shivering figure.

All she could do was not. It's not like she could demand him to do what she wanted. He had the power to drag her along wherever he wanted to go and if she pissed him off enough, he'd leave her stranded in the middle of nowhere or worse. She couldn't have that, not when peace started to settle over her seemingly broken lifestyle.

Swallowing she mumbled," tell me what you want me to do." A shadow seemed to spread all around her, engulfing her entire being as if she was no more than a morsel to feed off of. Miriam braced herself for the worst to come. She wasn't about to go out without a fight. Her fighting side prevented such cowardice behavior and it clearly showed. All that her supposed adversary did was snort, laughing darkly before settling right in front of her.

The flowers that danced around his smaller feet did not fit the picture of the hunting stare betrayed by Celebi. No, it only dripped with hidden agenda and malice. His hands pressed against his rounded cheeks, humming a tune that was only familiar to him and made the Lucario Gijinka flinch in response expecting a growl of demands.

"It's not really too much to ask of you, but I'll be really surprised if you go ahead and do it exactly as I want." She could feel his cool fingers grip her shoulders, tightly almost yearning for her to try and move his hands away so he could dig his nails into them. Miriam couldn't have felt more unsure of the situation since the time of when Aken died and the choice of life or death hung in the balance for her.

So many horrors flashed in the back of her mind, preparing her for whatever hell the Celebi was about to bring forth. She started to breathe heavily, clutching at her chest spike and clothing in attempts let a breath of life enter her. Her eyes shut tight as her world spun out of its axis and spiraling down a whirlpool of darkness and despair. Just when she thought she would die from her inner turmoils the hands on her shoulders released.

A gentle breeze flowed around her shaking frame and she squinted her eyes open only to find herself back at the cliffside with the tombstone of her past lover. Miriam's eyes stared at the back of the green-clothed Celebi. Her eyes threatening to spill more tears, mouth opening and closing before...

"I'll never see you again, because I already know how this pans out. I know how you suffer, and how you die. I'm going to go alter the timeline again, enjoy the life you'll live with your loved ones - the life I could have had, had you not ruined it for me, again. Take care." And like the wind itself, he was gone. The young woman couldn't understand the turn of events but something very wrong has happened hear. Nothing changed within this place but herself was a different story.

What he wanted her to do was already happening as the timelines whirled in her mind, things she's never seen before or have yet to see. Sickness clogged up insides, threatening to break her right then and there, but invisible chains prevented her from shock or worse. Celebi's plan had already enacted as recognition flashed in the Lucario's eyes. Her mind worked furiously to bring out the best formula to create such change, and it was all thanks to a desperate mystical being, searching a fore loving life with a noter who long since passed.

* * *

 **A/N:** So yeah, much confusion towards the end, but it'll start to piece together in later chapters when 'this' Miriam is brought up again. xD For a tidbit and fact (for those familiar with my chara and the forum itself), this Miriam is the same one from the AU 100 years in the future. It ties into the Main RP of what _could_ have happened in the future for our charries. Undecided as of now but possible.

In this one, Miriam is struck by Timeworn sickness and starts to make little knickknacks to send herself through time and back just so she can 'fix' things that she caused. When it all boils down to it, she fails and thus arc 3(the craziest but most creative of them all) starts to form and cause havoc on the forum itself. Not gonna get too much into it as it's so hard to understood now. The important facts now are, Miriam is going insane thanks to Cele and will try to fudge it up for the others in the end. Okay? Okay.


	4. Chapter 4: Hell's Angel

**4\. Hell's Angel**

 _Day XIII, 21XX,_

 _This has to be the stupidest thing I ever came up with. Seriously, as if this dumb book about my private thoughts would help me any. If anything, it just shows I weak I truly am. I know nothing of my parents, some pair that gave me life and shipped me off to the highest bidder, I suppose. Allbedamned, if I had to fight all of my life to have a moment's peace before that's ripped from me too! Things aren't go exactly my way but I'll make sure from this point on it does even if it kills me…_

Rei found herself halting from her scribbling. Her ear twitched at the distance sound of footsteps, creaking on the wooden floorboards and approaching steadfast. She scowled deeply, red eyes narrowing as a figure overshadowed the entrance of her room.

"I see you didn't heed to my call of, lights out." An older man, with sharp appendages and a serious expression appeared from the turn of the corner.

The Absol Gijinka snorted, turning her lips up into a snarl as his presence provoked her senses more than often lately. He pissed her off the most, as he wasn't the only other person besides herself who even bothered to keep her. Sure, he rescued her from that hellish dome, bathed and clothed her and even taught her things, but did he have to hang an oppressive taunt to keep her from breaking loose? She was old enough to do whatever she damn well pleased.

Rei refused to condone herself to this man's demands. He wasn't human but that didn't mean she should go with every beck and call he dishes out. She was independent and got only this far because of it. "I don't take orders from you, not when it includes my _exact_ bedtime."

The man's beady black eyes did not waver at all when staring right back at the seething dark type. He sighed quietly, folding his arms. "I take it you're in a foul mood because of today's earlier training session. Do not blame me for your lack of participation and getting that arm of yours scarred. It's your own fault and you know it."

"That's besides the point!" She snapped, furious as his intentions to strike a conversation at the baddest of times.

The Absol didn't have time for his mind games either as she turned her back on him, writing harshly in her journal. She could here him drawing closer. The white fur around her neck felt itchy and that only happened when she felt threatened or disheveled. Her harsh red gaze flickered alight with fire as she went to cutting her eyes at her mentor.

The Bisharp took one more singular step as he finally caught the attention of his pupil. He had to be very strict with this wild child. She knew of his crazed plans to dominate the region and eradicate every possible human here and others that may eventually come from overseas.

Rei was aware of how much mental and physical sure endured with this insane Gijinka male. Her teeth grit against one another, tongue pressed hard between and drawing out drips of blood that she swallowed instinctively.

"I can take care of myself plenty. You're just a blockade in my path that I should personally remove." She spat.

He closed his eyes, almost pained but opened them soon after. "I will talk to you more come morning." And with that he retreated; only his footsteps drowned out by the creaking of floorboards.

The dark type would see it for herself, if humans were as vile creatures as her mentor led on. Her sneaky suspicions that this was all an act, all a show to keep her locked away until she was bred ready to face the outside had tempted her more to break free.

However, the mistakes she made to found out how true his words came to be.

. . .

Rei had been held captive for so long that she could scarcely recall ever being able to think for herself. Brutality controlled her current state and mind, manipulation of her mind, body and soul the next. That dark, horrible night of escaping from the Bisharp had led her to be kidnapped and used and abused for the enjoyment of two, disgusting human men.

Her white pure white hair dirtied from the dust and dirt that filtered daily in her dungeon cell. Well, she couldn't really tell where she was, probably some old house basement but it _felt_ every bit of a prison to her weary soul. Her heart felt like a caged bird and beckoned to sing until her voice was no more. She felt like complete and utter shit right now. No time of day given or how long she's been like this garbage hanging against the stone wall.

Indescribable images flickered from her past that continued to replay over and over. It was sort of like a movie that refused to take hid of her cries and pleases to stop. Stop. Stop...Her tampered will had had enough of these foul games. These attempts to win her over by sultry pettings on her head and coaxing her to believe all is well.

It made her want to stay obedient as they wouldn't hurt her like usual. She was their pet and them the masters. Her words only met with assurance but later slapped right out of her and beaten. So much pain she had to overcome to feel the trickle of water and the crumbs of food pressed against her swollen lips and scarred mouth.

This had to end, _now_.

Rei made a mental note, licking her chapped, dried lips, the next time they came around she would act. No longer would she let them have their way. From this point on it was her decision and course of her life she would fulfill. Her hands balled up to fists, shackles rattling against her burned skin as the shadows of someone approaching caught her attention, somewhat.

She didn't know when or how she was going to do it, but something had to be done. Her body could only take so much and her mind slipped away a long time ago. She acted on impulses and this deteriorated herself as the days grew long.

The time to _act_ was eminent.

. . .

Her clothes had been ruined but she hardly cared. Her hand clutched a good portion of her bloody arm. She gave a raspy laugh as the dark type found her legs leading her back home. The word tasted foreign in her mouth and she repeated it again for good measure. "Home...Home...Home!" Rei found herself chanting as her pace picked up.

The young woman had been nearly out of breath when she reached the tucked away cabin in a forest so far deep into the wilderness that only wild Pokemon would be dwelling trees, fresh air and everything natural lulled her to drop on her knees and cry out hysterically. She made it from that place alive and in her right mind.

Her eyes shimmered with anew when she gazed around the scenery. Dream-like semblances of her past came and went like wisps of clouds. The days of her training in the rain and snow. How she made her first camp out while her mentor watched close by, eyes cast down low and hauntingly. He always was a creep guy but paled in comparison to what she witnessed and went through.

No, Rei gave a firm shake of her head. Specks of her white hair in contrast against the pale moonlight. They bangs turned silver as she approached. Her kid laughter flowed like a stream in the background of her, ushering for her to continue her journey down memory lane. It's been such a long time since she last stepped foot into this handmade place.

Nothing seemed too out of place or perhaps she forgotten.

The Absol Gijinka search every nook and cranny for her mentor, calling out his name the best she could before her energy ebbed and made her collapse close to his room. What she found shattered the perfect little image of a soundful scolding and chores around the place.

 _Last Day XX, 21XX,_

 _I've come to the conclusion that you've rightfully left me. I can't bare the thought of ever searching for you aimlessly through each and every night and day again. You were a lost cause when I came across you from the arena and you're still one every damned time I looked at you. Child, you've never once respected me past learning and when nothing went your way you're ready to blame me for my insolence. It was you, you all along to give me the final breaking point and pushed passed my own boundaries._

 _Wherever you are, if you ever get this, shall suffer a worser fate than my own. I shall be ending this tiresome feud and hope to leave this world in some more capable hands. I hope you're sa-_

Shaking hands refused to hold the paper upright as it dropped to the floor. Her hands falling a suit as her face scrunched up in anguish, frustration and turmoil. Tears trailed down her ivory cheeks as she wept. No amount of comfort would benefit from this surprise gift from home. The only person she's ever grown to know, died for the sake of her disappearance and not knowing if she were dead or alive. "I'm home," her voice cracked in revelation.

Not a voice answered back to her call.

. . .

It had been a good amount of years since that incident. The Absol had grown accustomed to being out on her own. Her nails sharp and dark like everything else about her. An ever present scowl shown on her lips as she immediately removed it by taking a swig of her flask. The liquid burned delightfully down her throat and damn did it feel good.

Things had changed for the better or worst. She really didn't give a shit.

Rei had been through this sequences of events for as long as she could hold a cigarette to her mouth and blow all her worries away. Two of her favorite things to fight away depressing moments; alcohol and nicotine.

Well, at least what she's been taught hadn't gone to complete waste. Being a contract killer had it's perks. Money was the highest bidder to pull her ear and bring her to your doorstep, whether a client or target you best watch your back.

"Damn straight," Rei mumbled against the bottle's tip. _Bad News,_ a name with an initial title created far and wide by gangs and other unpleasantries. It fitted her current status and made her all the more deadly to the eyes of the beholder.

Feeling sick and sorry for herself for an entire month had really taken its toll but did that stop her from trying to be the very best she could be? No, it only plowed her pride further up on a pedestal and preventing others from laying a mark on it.

She's been through hell and back and no amount of _regression_ would ever sour her.

* * *

 **A/N:** From this point on it shall be tragedy, despair, unresolved decisions! Nah, more lighter toned stories are up ahead, at least the next one will be. :P Should be posted within a couple of hours into the next day.

Let me say that this had to have been the longest one-shot for a character so far in this little book. Bravo, Rei-chan, you gave me a whirl. I tried to touch bases with a little aspect of the character as humanly possible. More to come for sure. All rights to her go by Create For Monty, Anna, respectively.


	5. Chapter 5: Princeling

**5\. Princeling**

 _Rain. It came down in hellish cold weather. Prickling the back of the Aali's neck as he tilted his umbrella and witness lightning flash before his very eyes; spectacular, jagged and with elegant purpose._

 _There he was, umbrella grasped in one and a bag which held a few books in the other. He watched, purple eyes wide as a bike slid mercilessly down the steep hill. Onlookers eyes looked or pointed at the very last second as biker had no means to stop. She cried for help but no one could possibly save her for it was too late. The sound of a train approaching had also caught his attention. Frings of his vibrant, wine-colored hair stuck to the sides of his face as if making him witness this tragic scene about to unfold._

 _More lights flickered on and off, warning bells ringing and the roar of the train's horn cautioning those who could not see its fast-moving pace. The unthinkable would happen; bike wheel propelling the rest of the young woman and her belongs forward. Her eyes vacant, as if her fear devoured the rest of her emotions and stilled her movements except for her going up and into the air. The head of the locomotive poised to strike her head on and the man watching this all before him..._

The reoccurring dream plagued the young man's thoughts yet again. Aali wakes up in cold sweat, alarm going off through his dream, seamless with the siren blown from the train.

His long, thin fingers brushed back his dark red hair as he sat up in his bed. The sheets slid down his upper body as the chill of the room settled around his warm body. Aali sighed, just about finished with this predicament, if was one at all.

His legs swung at the edge of his bed, hands resting on either side of him as he recollected his bearings on reality. The dream would vanish in a few minutes, seconds even, and then he'd go back to his daily routine. He frowned a little from that thought.

The trainer felt like a robot at times, showering his worries from the previous day, clothing himself in one of his finest yet casual wear and then heading off to the university. A school for students both human and Gijinka whose acceptance was but a step away from the working well. Aali felt himself to be a young, capable adult who took care of himself fairly well. The aspects of applying to a college had been something he promised his kid-sister. Something he promised himself to do long before his parents left him.

It was raining, just like his dream. It's been like this for the last couple of days as the forecast predicted to be the precipitation well overdue for its seasonal downpour.

The young man chuckled, flipping his widow's peak of red hair back as he went to walking. Such sadder moments in his life she be kept in the past, reminding him to keep moving forward. As if things couldn't get any worse for him.

Suddenly, he felt the pressure of something heavy and solid slam into the back of him. Aali skit forward only to turn in time to see a young woman about to fall herself. He abandoned his own umbrella to catch her, albeit struggling to keep upright. The wet drops of rain pelted on the both of them despite their efforts to not end up on the pavement.

He held her up the shoulders, panting as if he were (in some way) out of breath. "Are you alright, miss?" His purple eyes searched her downward gaze in concern. Huh, he hadn't felt something like that in a while.

"Y-Yes," she stammered, "I will be." Her eyes were monochromatic. A shimmering gold right eye and her left eye a fiery red-orange. The man would be lying if he said he found her eyes to be less than ordinary. How peculiar. It wasn't long before he noticed the other features about her; pointed ears on top of her head and the base covered by her dark hair, chest and hand spikes and a medium length tail.

A Lucario Gijinka.

The tall man puffed, going to rub the side of his head, pushing his now wet hair back and away from his eyes. "You should be more careful of where ever you go. It's dangerous in the wet and rain." An image of his little sister flashed in his mind, making him frown.

"Of course, how clumsy of me. These short legs get me into a world of trouble." She laughed bitterly, softly a she went to pull herself away, going to pick up her notepad and book and also her own umbrella. "Thank you, really." She bowed a little before sidestepping away from the man and going about her business.

Aali glanced over his shoulder, watching her stumble and nearly trip up with whatever boots she wore. As if he didn't believe any of her words to hold any many toward them. Then again, he wasn't particularly trustworthy of what people ever told him. It was something he grew accustomed to after one too many tragedies in his life. And so, he found his own feet carrying him down the same path into another day of academic studies.

. . .

 _It happened again, the crackle of thunder, rain dripping down his sharp chin as his eyes grew wide with unmasked trepidation. A girl, in her twenties, riding down the hill with no means of stopping. The people spotting this all but looked unable to do a thing to either seize her actions or help in anyway._

 _Aali couldn't do anything. He was but a mere statue to observe the oncoming events tumbling like the water down his umbrella clutched in one hand. The screech of a tire and the uplight of the girl, but this time the face he could recognize and that but made him shut his eyes away. He opened them up again in the waking world, gripping his sheets as he tried to calm his palpating heart._

He exited out of bed, quickly this time as he all but wanted to erase the graphic images threatening to overwhelm him. This made his thoughts shift into darker times, grasping the knowledge of his parents dying by the hands of common criminals. His hand pressed against his dresser. The blood, so much of it and his young eyes drank every detail of the vacant stare his mother gave. His father's neck twisted in some way as the both were strewn. He shied his siblings eyes away, not wanting to break her innocence so soon after what he saw.

So much law brought into his younger years, and colors of blue and red that appeared behind those empty eyes of his. He held strong, for her and for himself but also for his now deceased parents. No one wanted to claim such young ones and they all but disowned them in some way, but Aali refused to be shoved down the throats of any of his relatives. No. He didn't have any at this point. Taking his sister's smaller hand in his he led her into the light of a better, brighter future.

The trainer, prodded by his trusty partner who often removed him from his distraught reverie. He smiled kindly at the Ampharos as she twirled and moved about in his room before guiding the reluctant man into to kitchen, begging to have pancakes for breakfast. As if he could deny his electric type such simple pleasures in life. She, and his other beloved Pokemon was all what was left of his past. One particular dark type attracted his attention the most, for her Mega Stone gleamed in the rays of sunlight.

"Good morning, Mia, how you girl?" His voice husky with sleep as he went to run slender fingers through her lush, white hair. Her brilliant red gaze slitted at the attention received. He chuckled a such simple attention revved him back into the reality of this world yet again. Perhaps it was time to adopt a hobby of sorts. Easing his mind from the past only spurred him to try new things outside his apartment door. "Perhaps today will show some promise." He scratched underneath her chin as her long claws scraped the wooden flooring beneath.

After spend an ample amount of time with each of his beloved Pokemon he exited his place yet again. A compel sling backpack over his chest as he walked. The aftermath of yesterday's rain quelled as the birds came out to sing their morning song.

See-through sequences of his sister, Portia, skipping before him and glancing back ever so often made his heart ache. Her bright, youthful smile, small arms out as if trying to grab the whole world and prevent it from tearing apart. Her bright yellow dress, brown shoes and pigtails. All child-like features resting within her tiny body. Why did such long past feeling come about and so suddenly? He breathed a wry sigh, glancing up as the dawn of a new beginning warm his broad shoulders and moved him to press forward. The nickname he had given her still fresh on his mind, _Lil Pea_...

"Look out!"

Aali had precious seconds to dodge away from the bike and person in on it before the crashed into a nearby tree. He flinched at the head first slam she received before going over to assess the damage. "Arceus, are you alright?" His eyes looking over her once more as her canine ear shivered from impact. He didn't try to touch her in anyway, being more of a reserved gentlemen than one of the lesser beings of his kind.

The girl groaned, rolling to her side as she recollected herself from that nasty crash and fall. "Yeah, I'll be fine, eventually." Her eyes blurry stared up the taller being and they widened a tad. "Haven't we met before?"

"Yes, and I do believe I warned you to be careful in the wet." He admonished which earned a tired sigh from her.

Her ears pricked forward as she sat while he crouched; one knee down on the ground while the other poised to assist him in standing again, if needed. "So, what's your name, stranger? Or should I give you some ghastly name that you'll either hate or love? Hm, you look like a Princeling to me, all refined and sophisticated though I'm sure that's not _entirely_ true."

Aali gave her a skeptical look, not really one to introduction but he supposed that no harm would come of it. "I'd much refer to myself as Aali Santiago." His name rolled off his tongue with grace and ease, something he did often to appease those he hoped to approve from.

"Oh, that's a name I've not once heard before. I'm Miriam Young. It's a pleasure to meet you." She reached out her hand to shake. He blinked, wary before going to grasp it with his own.

"The pleasure is all but mine." The diverse trainer had to say, he didn't expect her to hold a strong grip despite seeing as she was a Lucario from first encounter. He went to helping her up, seeing to that her bike would remain grounded as he doubted the brakes were actually working on it. "I'll leave you to your devices then." He bid her ado (with a tilt of hs fedora) and went on his way.

. . .

Aali didn't expect to come back this way again (so few days after the encounter of the female Lucario), the darkness of clouds threatening to break with another torrent of rain water. It had been a familiar path to follow and one he gladed took without worry. His life went on as per usual, despite him joining a book club that would only bore him in one way or another if he didn't contribute to some way of sharing his enjoyment of reading. The man's mind idled down to simpler things during this week of repetitive sequences.

A yelp made him halt his movements. There on his right laid a dark alley and shady movements which would be either a gang fight or someone cornering an innocent soul for money or something else. Now, he wasn't one to pry into other people's affairs but the unrest of predator on the hunt for the weaker minds of others left a bad taste in his mouth.

He fixed his shirt collar as he went down the cobblestone path, purple eyes glittering like jewels in the dark of night. "Excuse, but what's all the ruckus I'm here where eyes can not fully reach?" He raised a brow, both surprised and mildly curious. Ther before him had been Miriam but she was by no means in harm's way. On the contrary, the hefty biker gang members were the ones at her mercy.

Her eyes glowed, nearly ignited by the frostiness behind them. Splatter of blood on her cheek, corner of her mouth and sky blue blouse that she wore. The sight made Aali shiver but his expression hardly faltered from the onlooking scene. He casually placed one hand in his pocket, the other resting against his chin, grasping it gently. "I didn't think you were the type to be so direct in your actions, Miriam." Her eyes downcast as she gave a ragged, low sigh.

"Please, stop with all that fakeness and go about your business, _princeling_." The jackal's scatterbrained perception fell away along with the drips of blood on her knuckles. This turned the tables of whatever of a normal depiction of the tale. "I'm sure you weren't expecting a klutzy Gijinka like me to actually have skills other than hurting myself. What's this, the third time we've met already? This is starting to creep me out." She growled, her feral look still ever present but didn't phase the human one bit.

"Oh, you think I've been jesting you this entire time?" He gave a cool, mechanical grin. "My dear, please, I wouldn't dream of trying to fool you, not one with a strong sense of _reading_ other people's body language. This is who I am, in full. Take it or leave it as you wish." Aali was probably asking to be the next selective human on the ground with cuts and bruises but he took his chances with reason.

Then again, why would she want to pummel him and for what purpose? Dominance? Satisfaction to see someone else at the mercy of her feet? Aali wasn't one to grovel for his life and would much rather have fairness if not any in talking out said problems. He'd scoff at any attempts to threats and brush away blackmail as he felt having the upper hand was all but a process to control.

What Miriam said next had genuinely intrigued him. "I'm actually curious to learn more, but I'm sure after seeing this," she gestured to the fallen bodies (though not yet dead) and the bloody scene in whole, "you'd want nothing else to do with me."

Aali hummed, "now you're adding words into my mouth unnecessarily. How rude." He quirked up a smile, though smile as he saw the young woman raise her head up astonished by his next flow of words.

And thus begun a new chapter revealed itself, teeming with life of something new.

* * *

 **A/N:** Now, this is a depiction of one of the many lovely alternate universe in which all charries reside in and out of. Aali's story goes back and forth from his past to present and whatever future that holds for him. He's willing to move on even through his struggling consciousness. Such determination. Aali Santiago belongs to . as you already know that Miriam is my special snowflake. ;) Another chapter fueling out of me in a jiffy!


End file.
